This application claims the benefit of and priority to Great Britain Application No. 9906491.7, filed Mar. 22, 1999.
This invention relates to an exterior mirror for a vehicle of the type intended for mounting on a vehicle door and also to a vehicle door having such a mirror mounted thereon.
Conventional exterior mirrors for vehicles have commonly included a base member with an abutment face adapted to abut against a vehicle door with three studs or pillars projecting from the abutment face so as to project through holes in a structural member of the vehicle door. A screw is then inserted into the end of each stud from inside the vehicle so as to hold the bracket in place. A mirror of this type is described in EP-A-0567244. If electrical connection is required to a mirror adjustment mechanism or a mirror heater, such electrical connections have to be made as a separate operation. Installation of such a mirror is relatively complicated and time consuming. It is an object of the present invention to provide an exterior mirror in which extension is simplified.
According to the invention, a vehicle door mirror comprises a housing, an intermediate member having an abutment surface adapted to abut against a complementary surface of a vehicle door, a cylindrical stem mounted in the housing for axial movement relative thereto, said stem projecting through a hole in said abutment surface so as to engage in a mounting hole in said complementary surface, the stem having radially projecting bayonet formations adapted to engage with complementary bayonet formations on the periphery so as to prevent removal of the stem from the mounting hole when the stem is at a predetermined orientation therein, and a spring engaging between the housing and the stem to cause retraction of the stem inwardly of the housing and thereby to urge the bayonet formations into engagement.
The invention also provides a vehicle door having a door mirror mounted thereon, the door mirror comprising a housing including an intermediate member having an abutment surface adapted to abut against a complementary surface of the door, a cylindrical stem mounted in the housing for axial movement relative thereto, said stem projecting through a hole in said abutment surface so as to engage in a mounting hole in said complementary surface, the stem having radially projecting bayonet formations adapted to engage with complementary bayonet formations on the periphery so as to prevent removal of the stem from the mounting hole when the stem is at a predetermined orientation therein, and a spring engaging between the housing and the stem to cause retraction of the stem inwardly of the housing and thereby to urge the bayonet formations into engagement.
Preferably, the intermediate member of the housing is displaceable relative to the intermediate member thereof in the event of impact, the main body being held in its normal orientation by a detent which is biased into its engaged position by said spring.
The invention also provides arrangements simplifying the establishment of connections to the mirror during installation.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
For a more complete understanding of the invention, its objects and advantages, reference should be made to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings.